Give the gift of life
FOURWAYS - A cancer survivor encourages community members to donate blood to help save a life.
Sally Roberts asks prospective donors to stop by the Pineslopes South African National Blood Service (SANBS) donor centre where they can give the gift of life.
Roberts was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 and has undergone numerous surgeries and treatments to manage the disease. (‘Cancer survivor steps up to the plate’, Fourways Review, week ending 7 March)
She attributes the blood transfusions she receives for giving her a quality of life which was greatly reduced after her diagnosis. “Before I received blood transfusions I had no idea of the many applications blood had,” she said. “I thought blood transfusions were only for emergencies.”
Roberts explained that due to either the cancer which has spread to her bone marrow or the chemotherapy to treat the illness, her red blood cells and platelets are greatly reduced.
“When my blood cells have depleted I can’t go to work or cook for my boyfriend. I can’t even walk,” she said.
Roberts said that this lowered her self-esteem because she felt like she wasn’t adding value to the world.
“When my blood cells are depleted they have to wheel me onto the hospital ward, yet when I receive the blood, within half an hour you can see the colour come back to my cheeks,” she said. “After five or six hours I literally skip out of the hospital.”
Through her own experience Roberts has inspired her friends and family to become regular donors. “My boyfriend donated for the first time two months ago,” she said. “He wasn’t even aware of the need for blood before he met me.”
Roberts has received over 40 pints of blood since she started transfusions five years ago.
She organises regular blood drives at the Pineslopes donor centre to encourage the community to donate blood.
“I started with my campaign to “pay back” my 40 units so that it could be put back into the bank for others, but even when I do reach my goal I’m not going to stop,” she said.
Roberts encouraged the community to donate regularly if they are able.
“You can walk out of a donor centre and say that you’ve saved a life or given someone the opportunity to live a good quality of life,” she said.
